Category: Business

Feel good by realizing Life IS Good! Hear what drives Co-founder Bert Jacobs
And how the company thrives

You may not know the names Bert and John Jacobs but you’ve certainly seen their T-shirts everywhere. Co-founders of the Life is Good company, theirs is a story of amazing growth from selling shirts out of a van to a $100 million dollar enterprise – which coincidentally was the name of their van.

The basis of their business? Optimism! Here are entrepreneurs that not only don’t advertise because word-of-mouth recommendations keep the sales increasing, but Bert actually operates WITHOUT email. And find out what’s prompted them to donate 10% of their profits to children’s endeavors.

Click on the player below to hear the chat with Bert and Pam

About Bert:

In 1989, Bert and John Jacobs designed their first tee shirt. They knew nothing about the business.

For five years, the brothers hawked tee shirts in the streets of Boston and traveled the East Coast, selling door-to-door in college dormitories.

They collected some good stories, but were not very prosperous. They lived on peanut butter and jelly, slept in their van, and showered when they could.

Chicks were not impressed.

By the Fall of 1994, heading home from a long, less-than-fruitful road trip, Bert and John were desperately searching for answers to keep the dream alive. Little did they know, the only answer they needed was back in Boston, hanging up on their apartment wall – Jake.

One fateful September day, they printed up 48 Jake shirts for a local street fair in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They laid the shirts out on their rickety card table. By noontime, all 48 of those tees were gone. A star was born.

Soon Jake was introduced to local retailers, and his simple message of optimism was embraced like nothing the brothers had ever seen. As demand for product soared, Jake’s team grew, and the Little Brand That Could began to spread across America.

Today, the New England based brand stays close to its roots, with an emphasis on simplicity, humor and humility. Through Life is good Festivals, positive products, and a steady dose of ping pong, Jake’s crew does its best to keep the good vibes flowing.

Several years ago we took on the concept of Extreme Ownership with Navy Seal co-authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. We learned that if you’re in charge – you better own it!

Now these two leadership experts and co-founders of Echelon Front have a new book out called The Dichotomy of Leadership – and maybe because some people took their original advice to the EXTREME!!

We talk with Jocko Willink— former Commander of Seal Team 3 – Task Unit Bruiser (which, by the way, was the most highly decorated US Special Ops unit of the Iraq War), about this dichotomy. What can we learn about balance – and why it’s important.

Plus – when it’s time to fire someone… how to know when to back off… and why humility is so important.

Thanks for listening!

Click on the player below to listen to the conversation with Jocko Willink and Pam Atherton